Found Film: Kodak CPS 70mm in bulk loading cassette

I picked up an enlarger and several boxes of darkroom equipment from a local, and tucked away in a beaker was a bulk film can with three large Kodak-made metal cassettes. The canister says "CPS 70mm 3 Rolls (18' each)". See here:

From the little I can find, it appears CPS was a negative film from the early '70s, C-22 process, about ISO 80, used for weddings and portraits. Does that all sound right?

What kind of camera would even shoot these 70mm cassettes? Two of them are empty, but the third is full. And someone wrote "70 EXP." on the emulsion side of the bit sticking out of the full one. I don't know whether that means the roll has been exposed, or whether they mean it is 70 exposures on the roll. Eighteen feet divided by 70 exposures would give an image width of about 78mm (minus a bit at the start and end of the roll, presumably). It looks like there are a couple of places that still develop C-22 although it is very expensive. Do any of you know whether there is a way I could clip off a piece and develop it in B&W dev. or C-41 and be able to tell a) from edge markings, confirm the film type, and b) whether there are any images already on it?

thanks,
Jerry

Responses

Hi Jerry, 70mm was often used by pros shooting weddings and portraits. I have a 70mm Hasselblad back, and I'm sure other medium format cameras used it. Also some aerial cameras used it. You certainly could try clipping off some film and developing it in B&W. I don't know if that would work, but I believe you would get some image out of it. Maybe in the 10 min development range. It would be fascinating to know why the film was never developed. The cassettes are pretty standard for 70mm.

...and remember that C-22 processing is for all practical purposes, dead. There might be a lab or two around who will do it as a specialty, but they will be very expensive. If it were me, I'd just chuck the film. It's not worth the bother and expense.

Jerry, are you sure it is exposed? Does it say so anywhere? If you want to try a clip test, you can improvise a 70mm spiral using a standard Patterson 35/120/220 spiral, a long stem from 1 litre tank and a couple of retaining clips. If it is exposed you will get something from B&W chemistry. If it looks interesting then depending on the value of your curiosity and interest in "history" (or other people's business) send it to a lab that handles 70mm. There still a number around. If it's blank, then someone using 70mm in Hasselblad/Bronica/Linhof for example, may want to play with it. (Me?) If it is unexposed, I would certainly reimburse you for the postage. I am in Norway, and can try it and send you some results. It's a bit of an exercise, because I do my own B&W in all formats, but need to send E6 70mm to England. (Cripes, talk a about 'carbon footprint' for the use of a roll of film! But I am in England half the time anyway.) Another thing, are they just the end bits of film that are already used and cut off? Do you have scales to weigh them? They may either be empty or loaded ready to go. Cheers, Kevin.